


These Violent Hearts

by Demiurges, Elune



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Alternate Universe - Western, Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-31 12:55:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8579380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demiurges/pseuds/Demiurges, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elune/pseuds/Elune
Summary: Twilight Town is the newest and best thing in recreational entertainment technology, a paradise of a virtual reality that uses luxurious sets, cutting-edge programming, and artificial bodies to immerse customers in a Wild West style experience.  Sora and his friends are thrilled to get the chance to vacation in Twilight Town, but they soon find themselves tangled in a web of story loops that hint at a deeper mystery beneath the park’s surface. Sora’s connection to one silver-haired host may help them shape each others’ destinies, but neither can foresee exactly what lies beyond the maze. In this lawless world, knowing who to trust may be just as difficult as telling the artificial from reality.  This fic is a Westworld inspired AU.





	

Sora’s jaw almost hit the floor as he stepped off the train into Twilight Town. The sight was so much more than he had expected; a thriving, bustling western frontier town spread out before him, filled to bursting with all kinds of characters arrayed in perfect detail.

“Wow.” He whispered, momentarily lost for words. “It’s… wow.”

“Yeah.” Kairi replied from her position beside him. She also seemed overwhelmed by the intricacies of the offering before her. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but this feels so _real_.”

Her emphasis on the last word grounded Sora. The town did seem real, and it was hard to imagine the people milling about to be anything less than human. There was no stiffness in the way the townspeople moved, no impression of being contrived or artificial. The whole thing was truly a marvel of technology. Regardless, the hosts weren’t real, Sora reminded himself. They were as far removed from Sora’s human mind and heart as any inanimate object.

“Shall we? You two can’t stand here all day gawping. There’s a whole world to explore here!” A fiery-haired man said as he nudged the two friends along.

Kairi huffed in annoyance at the other redhead. “You may be our designated babysitter on this trip, Axel, but don’t think for a minute that means I won’t fire you!”

“I guess it’s too bad that I don’t work for you, Princess.” Axel’s infamous smirk spread across his face. “So just try barking orders and see what happens.”

Sora stifled a laugh at the bickering between the two. Axel was an employee of Twilight Town, although not the robot kind. As far as Sora knew, he did some kind of programming on the androids’ behavior and was pretty well respected in the artificial intelligence field. By virtue of being Kairi’s acquaintance, he’d been given the week off to escort the chairman’s daughter and her friend around the park. Sora figured the motivation behind sending Axel probably had more to do with security than with making sure they had a good time. The man’s grumpiness and acerbic tongue guaranteed that he wouldn’t be winning any awards for customer service.

Sora could tell that neither Kairi nor Axel had been very thrilled about the arrangement initially, but he figured they’d get over themselves soon enough. Judging by the sounds of their continuing argument, maybe it was time to let go of that assumption. Sora huffed. Oh well, he wasn’t going to let those two ruin his trip.

Sora jumped down off the station platform, eager to start his adventure and even more eager to get away from his companions. He brushed dust from his eyes that had been kicked up by a passing horse and carriage. He briefly wondered if the animals were real or animatronic like the people but quickly concluded that they must be fake too. It probably wasn’t logistically feasible to have real animals running around with robot hosts; the mess and unpredictability could threaten the guest experience. Sora hummed as he ran his hands along the neck of a beautiful chestnut mare at a hitching post. Even the animal’s coat felt perfectly authentic.

“You’re new to these parts, aren’t you?” A voice called from behind Sora, startling him.

“Y-Yeah.” He responded, turning to face the speaker. She was a pretty girl with short black hair that framed her face nicely, but it was her eyes that drew Sora’s attention. They were blue, perhaps a bit darker than Sora’s, and the brightness in them surprised the boy. He felt _something_ looking into those eyes – perhaps empathy and determination, he wasn’t sure. He swallowed, throat feeling tight all of a sudden. _They’re not real_ , he had to remind himself again. He had always been told his imagination was a bit too active, and it wouldn’t do to let it run away with him now.

Even the material of the girl’s outfit was period accurate. Her high-waisted black pants fit her perfectly, elongating her legs and cutting a stylish figure. Her grey top was partly obscured by a black leather jacket that rested on her shoulders, and her left hand held a black hat. Her right hand rested on the holster around her waist, just inches away from the pistol nestled within. She managed to make the position look nonchalant, but Sora knew she was probably prepared to fire in a split second.

Every care had been taken to make this place look dangerous, lawless, free.

Sora shivered despite the warmth of the sun bearing down on the town. “I’m from out of town. I came to… Ah…. Um…” He searched for a backstory, cursing at himself for not planning one ahead of time. He didn’t know why he was so nervous about being unconvincing to an automaton, but the awkward feeling persisted.

The girl cut him off, saving Sora from more floundering. “Hmm. Well make sure you don’t get into any trouble, you hear? There’s bandits and desperados hiding out in the hills, so be careful if you venture out at night. A little thing like you wouldn’t last long out there.”

“I’m tougher than I look.” Sora muttered, indignant at the girl’s assessment. He wasn’t _that_ short for his age, damn it. And even if it was true that he was a little smaller than average, that didn’t mean he was weak. “I can hold my own in a fight, y’know.”

“Sure you can.” The girl shook with mirth, clearly entertained by Sora’s response. “Why don’t you head on over to the Mariposa,” she gestured to a building on her left. “That seems a bit more suited to someone like you.”

Sora opened his mouth to ask what she meant by “someone like you,” but he found she’d already turned her back to him and was walking away. He shrugged, taking the experience as a new lead to follow. The Mariposa was as good a place to start an adventure as any.

As he approached the building, he noticed a sign hanging outside the building with the word “Mariposa” painted in bold letters. Underneath the bright lettering, the phrase “Saloon & Hotel” revealed the building’s purpose.

“A saloon, huh…” Sora murmured to himself, feeling a little shy about going in alone. He knew little about the Wild West, but he was aware of the fact that saloons could be dens of gambling, drinking, and prostitution. None of those things were really up Sora’s alley; nevertheless, he steeled himself and pushed open the swinging doors into the establishment.

The smell of smoke, booze, and something else he couldn’t quite place greeted him as he stepped into the saloon’s main floor. It was a smaller establishment than he had expected, with gambling tables on the side of the room closest to him and a bar on the opposite side. Men in various states of drunkenness and disarray sat around the tables, laughing jovially as they made their wagers. Occasionally they would get a bit too rowdy, a few fists would be thrown around, but they’d settle down in a matter of moments. Sora found he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the colorful cast of characters. Every messy beard, splotch of dirt, wrinkle, and blemish had Sora questioning whether these were hosts or other guests.

He was pulled from his musings by a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey boy, you want in?” A tall, well muscled man with shoulder length greasy brown hair questioned, pointing to the game closest to him. “Surely they play Poker where you’re from.”

“Maybe not quite the same kind of Poker.” Sora responded. “If you all teach me, I’ll play a few hands.”

“Sure thing.” The man guided him over to the table, clearing a space for Sora to sit down. “You got ante?”

“Oh, right.” Sora dug around in his pockets for the coins he’d been given to use in the park. They were slightly heavy but definitely made him feel more immersed in the Old West experience. Following the lead of the men around him, he threw a few silver colored pieces into the middle of the table.

Half an hour later, Sora was smiling from ear to ear as he scooped up the money from the center of the table for the third time. The men around him groaned, voicing their displeasure at his uncanny streak of luck. In truth, Sora figured his run of good fortune was probably equal parts skill and AI programming to make guests feel like winners. Despite his dislike of gambling in general, he was an experienced card sharp with a knack for sleight of hand. His secret talent had paid off more times than he could count, and here it was paying off yet again.

“Alright guys, thanks for the games, but I’ve had enough for one day.” Sora announced, standing up.

On his way to the exit, Sora almost ran straight into a figure that darted into his path. The roadblock came in the form of a beautiful blonde woman wearing a blue corset and obscenely short skirt. Feathers decorated her hair, and a waterfall of crystals drew attention to her shapely neck and collarbone. Sora blushed, suddenly uncomfortable with the woman’s attention.

“Hey, why don’t you slow down now cowboy?” The woman asked, tossing her blonde curls behind her shoulder. Her fingers tangled in the fabric of Sora’s waistcoat, lazily teasing at the buttons. “I saw your talented hands working back there.” The girl smiled as she met Sora’s eyes. “Wouldn’t it be a shame to keep them to yourself?”

Sora’s mind was temporarily blank as he searched for something, _anything_ to say to the girl whose hands were slowly drifting lower and lower. “Oh, no… I just… I’m not interested in that…” He managed to squeak out while trying to pull her hands away from his private regions.

The girl pouted her full lips, looking up at him with what Sora would definitely call ‘bedroom eyes.’ “Awww, but you’ve got an awfully full purse, and we’ve got plenty of girls. Ariel’s a real redhead and Belle’s sharp as a whip, if that’s your thing. I’m sure we can find one to your liking.”

Sora grimaced and tried to squeeze past the girl. Unfortunately, she was as immobile as a mountain. Notwithstanding Kairi, he had never been good at dealing with the opposite sex, and the situation was making him more and more uncomfortable by the second.

“Let him be, he said he’s not interested.” A third voice joined their conversation.

Relieved, Sora turned to see his knight in shining armor. _Cowboy_ , Sora mentally corrected. _The metaphor should be cowboy in shining armor_.

His savior was seated at a table for two a few feet away from the pair, a glass of whiskey and a deconstructed pistol in front of him. His hands worked over the gun, cleaning it meticulously. The man’s white linen shirt fit him well, showing off muscles while still looking effortlessly tailored. Black suspenders secured black pants, giving the main an air of elegance that separated him from the rest of the saloon’s clientele. A leather shoulder holster crossed the man’s back, holding two extra pistols. It was a bit of overkill to have so many guns on one person, Sora thought briefly before going back to assessing the stranger. Silver hair spilled down his shoulders, clean and well-groomed.

The man still hadn’t looked up or otherwise acknowledged Sora’s presence. It seemed like he was content to rid Sora of his little problem and leave it at that, but the woman wasn’t having any of it.

The girl strode over to the silver-haired man, clearly unhappy with his intervention. “Riku, if you’re going to try to steal my clients then you can clear off. We’re just trying to make an honest living here and you’ve got no right to take food out of my girls’ mouths.”

“Please. My gun’s for hire, but it takes more than money to get a chance at my other weapon.” Riku replied, scowling down at the pieces of his pistol.

The suggestiveness of his statement had Sora blushing a deep crimson. He was unused to such lewd language, but it was exhilarating in a way. He was getting drawn in further to the story every minute he experienced it, and this new character was definitely a welcome addition. _Riku_ , Sora reminded himself. _His name is Riku, and he’s a gun for hire. A mercenary._

“Some folks just aren’t interested in rolling around with soiled doves,” Riku continued. “Let this one go, he’s too good for you lot.”

“Soiled doves?” Sora piped up. The term was foreign to him, and he figured there was no harm in asking.

Riku dropped his work long enough to glance over at Sora, and the sight that greeted Sora left him breathless. As aquamarine eyes met sky blue, Sora couldn’t help but think that he’d never seen anything more beautiful. _He must be a guest_ , Sora thought. _No robot could look like that_.

A smirk gently tugged at the corner of Riku’s mouth. “Whores. You really are an innocent one, aren’t you?”

Sora blushed again, feeling self-conscious under the attractive man’s gaze. “I just hadn’t heard it before. I’m not from around here, and you all talk differently than I’m used to.”

“It’s obvious you’re not from around here, newcomer.” Riku stood up, having reassembled his pistol before Sora could blink twice. “You wear your strangeness like we wear the dust on our clothes and the sun on our backs.”

Riku strode up to Sora, giving Sora a chance to marvel at Riku’s height. The silver haired man stepped a little too close into Sora space, and Sora couldn’t help noticing that Riku smelled much better than the overly perfumed girl that had harassed him earlier.

“No one around here cheats Pete and his boys at cards and gets away with it. No one turns down a tussle with Aurora and her girls. You’re interesting.” Sora swallowed at Riku’s words. He could see the men he had played cards with earlier stand up, looking angry. His secret was out; Riku had seen right through him. Warm breath on Sora’s ear momentarily took his attention away from the escalating predicament. “I like interesting.”

And then there was a hand on his arm, grip strong and confident, pulling Sora out of the saloon and into Twilight Town’s dusty roads. Riku was beside him, leading them away the pursuing gang. The smile on Riku’s face seemed genuine despite the fact that one of them was fleeing for their life currently. The hosts were programmed to be unable to kill guests, so Sora was safe from any real harm. Still, it would be shame to be caught now and have his handsome protector threatened.

Turning abruptly onto a side street, Riku led Sora to a hitching post before breaking the news to him. “You ready to become a horse thief? If we’re caught, you’ll be hanged without trial.”

Sora nodded before he even considered the question. His willingness to accept anything that Riku threw at him was surprising, especially since Sora had come into this world with no plans of playing a bad guy. And now here he was, about to become an outlaw with a handsome stranger he knew practically nothing about. _Well, you wanted adventure_ , Sora reminded himself. _And now you’ve got it in spades_.

Riku had the tethers tying the horses to the post undone in a few seconds, hands working faster than Sora’s had on the cards earlier. He threw the lead belonging to a grey Appaloosa mare to Sora and swung himself up onto the other horse, a sleek black gelding. If they’d had more time, Sora would have complained about the distribution of their steeds, but there was no time for argument. Sora managed to pull himself up onto the horse with much less grace than his companion and soon they were riding off into the hills.

They rode for about half an hour before Riku finally called a halt. Sora was glad for chance to rest his backside, which had gotten somewhat numb from the ride. He groaned as he slid off the horse, stretching his aching muscles.

“You doing okay there, newcomer?” Riku asked from atop his stolen horse.

“Yeah… and my name isn’t “newcomer.” It’s “Sora.” I’m not sure whether or not to thank you. You definitely saved me back there, but you’re also the reason why those men came after me. So I guess… thanks. Tentatively.”

Riku snorted. “Pete’s gang would’ve come after you anyway, it was just a matter of time. Anyone who wins against them turns up with empty pockets and an even emptier head. Aurora was looking to help you get out of there alive, but you managed to not pick up on that on account of being afraid of whores. No one thinks clearly when they’re told they’ve been cheated, so I used that information and sped up the process to get us out here before nightfall. By the way, my services don’t come cheaply.”

Sora was fuming after Riku’s revelation. “I wasn’t _afraid_ of the prostitutes, and I’m not dumb or weak, you know. I’m just getting used to this place. Where I come from, we only do things like that with people we _love_.”

Riku’s eyes softened a touch. He dismounted in one fluid motion, landing next to Sora. “With all due respect, I don’t think that’s true. I’ve seen a lot of men from a lot of different places, and they’re all the same. They all have violent hearts and love only their violent delights.” He reached up to muss Sora’s hair. “You’re the one who's different from the others.”

The moment between the two was broken when Sora’s stomach growled loudly. Riku couldn’t stifle his laughter, although he tried his best.

“Well, I suppose now’s as good a time as any for dinner. Luckily I always come prepared. You may be cute, but you’d be helpless as a kitten out here without me.”

“Not a kitten.” Sora shot back. His attempt at trying to sound offended was ruined by his smile that revealed his true feelings. “More like a lion.”

“Yeah. A newborn lion cub.” Riku teased, earning him a tackle from Sora. Riku’s height and weight advantage led to him eventually winning their wrestling match, although Riku had to admit that Sora did fight well after all. Riku managed to keep the smaller boy pinned for several minutes until he finally stopped struggling.

Riku was slow to relinquish his position on top of Sora. The larger man could feel the warmth of the body beneath him and found it hard to break contact with Sora’s eyes, pupils blown wide with only a sliver of blue visible. Sora’s mouth was open and he was breathing heavily, whether from the fight or because of arousal, Riku couldn’t tell.

Riku felt an almost primal drive to seduce the boy beneath him, to use the advantage he had now to undress Sora and make love to him under the stars. But something held Riku back from following his instincts. Sora was different; Sora was special. It wouldn’t do to break that illusion just yet.

It took all of his willpower, but Riku finally rolled off the boy and went about gathering his cooking supplies. He worked silently, and Sora didn’t say anything until after dinner was made. The air between them felt tense, but Riku wasn’t sure what to say to relieve the awkwardness.

Wordlessly, he handed Sora a plate of pork and beans. He wondered if it was obvious to the other boy that he was purposefully avoiding eye contact. Apparently it was, because the next thing he felt was a hand tilting his chin up. Aquamarine eyes met glistening blue eyes as Riku took in Sora’s troubled face.

“Hey Riku, I’m sorry.” Sora whispered. “I’m really sorry. Sorry I tackled you… and I don’t really know what else I did, but if you tell me how I upset you then I won’t do it again. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable or anything.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for.” Riku replied, his somber mood completely dissipating. “I was just thinking about how I’m going to spend all that money you’re going to owe me for taking care of you. Bodyguard, babysitter, and now chef… my fees just keep going higher and higher.”

Sora’s smile of relief was a sight for sore eyes. “Okay, if you say so. You’ll get your money when I get my adventure.”

“Good enough for me.” Riku lay back and focused on the stars. It felt nice to relax like this, just Riku, Sora, and whatever gods were out there looking down on them.

The rest of the evening was spent with small talk, a hint of playful banter, and a good deal of playing cards. To Sora’s chagrin, Riku was just as adept at palming cards, trick shuffling, and all his usual cheats. It became more of a game of who could predict the others’ cheats and respond to them than the original card games, and both boys were fiercely competitive. In the end, Riku emerged victorious once again, teasing Sora for his predictability.

The games left Sora marveling at how Riku could be the more unpredictable of the two. Riku was, after all, just a robot with sophisticated programming. Sora was a human being with free will and agency; in theory, he could do whatever he liked while Riku was stuck to behaving within his parameters.

“You’re too easy to read.” Riku lectured even though Sora hadn’t asked for a critique. “You stick your tongue out when you’re going for a flush. And your eyebrow is a dead giveaway. You may be good with your hands but your poker face is terrible.” Riku shook his head. “Add professional poker trainer to my list of duties. I’m going to be _so_ rich when I’m done with you.”

Sora didn’t seem like he appreciated the training much. “Yeah, whatever. Just wait until next time. Then you’ll be the one in debt to me.”

“Fair enough. Anyway, it’s about time we make camp. It’s getting dark and there’s going to be a chill tonight. We shouldn’t get much wind here, but I can’t have you freezing on me.” Riku extended his hand to help Sora up but wasn’t surprised when the boy refused to take it. Sora was strong-willed and looking to prove himself, and Riku wouldn’t have it any other way.

Still, Sora was receptive to Riku’s advice in areas where he had little to no experience. One of those areas happened to be ‘fixing up sleeping arrangements in the remote hills of an Old West theme park filled with androids.’ Working in tandem, the two made light work of the remaining chores. They finished just as the sun was dipping below the horizon.

They had plenty of supplies: blankets, food, matches, and more to ensure that they’d be living in as much comfort as could be expected. Most of the supplies were from the packs the stolen horses had been saddled with. Sora couldn’t help wondering if it was a normal thing in the Old West to leave horses out pre-saddled and bursting with supplies or if he was following a pre-planned storyline. The thought left an eerie feeling in his gut. How many others had walked this path with Riku before him?

“So Riku,” Sora started, “have you ever been out here with anyone before?” The question sounded a little vague, so he cleared his throat and tried again. “I mean, have you ever helped anyone out like you did with me at the saloon and camped with them out here?”

Riku stared at Sora like he’d grown two heads. “No, of course not. This kind of hair-brained scheme isn’t really my thing, but I guess I’m a sucker for a pretty face.” Riku sat down on the blanket nest they’d made and patted the ground beside him. “Time for bed now, and since the score is 2-0 in my favor, you get to be the little spoon.”

Sora made a face at Riku, but his protests were all for show. He relished the warmth and intimacy with the silver haired man despite the logical part of his brain telling him that he was cuddling up with a damn _robot_. Arms around his waist and warm breath on the back of his neck slowly brought Sora closer to sleep, feeling safe and secure.

Beside him, Riku was having significantly more difficulty winding down. The more Riku thought about Sora’s earlier question, the more his head hurt. He did remember something… dreams perhaps, where he saved some naïve newcomers and took them out to this place. Now that he tried to remember those dreams, they all seemed so repetitive. He couldn’t imagine his companions faces, but he knew that in every dream, they ended up making love.

He looked down at Sora, suddenly afraid that this could all be a dream. No, it wasn’t a dream, he realized. Sora was soft and warm and alive, and Riku felt conscious and aware unlike the fogginess of the dreams. And they hadn’t ended up making love, so this had to be the reality. He knew his reasoning was flimsy at best, but he could find no other explanation for the intense déjà vu he was currently experiencing.

He filed all that information away in the back of his mind for another time. Perhaps in the morning he’d feel up for the task of unravelling his scrambled thoughts. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to hold the person beside him until they were both lost in slumber.

Meanwhile, Sora’s last thought as he drifted off was something along the lines of “oh shit, Kairi is going to kill me.”


End file.
